Understanding
by AngelAndie
Summary: So what if Artemis's dad wasn't so bad? What if he was just a normal man trying to support his family, and got to deep? Getting frustrated, taking it out on his family without really meaning it? He truly loves his family, just has a hard time showing it? Or he can't show it, because it will hurt his family? Character death. Rated T for safety, long one-shot, no ships intended.


(Summery: So what if Artemis's dad wasn't so bad? What if he was just a normal man trying to support his family, and got to deep? Getting frustrated, taking it out on his family without really meaning it? He truly loves his family, just has a hard time showing it? Or he can't show it, because it will hurt his family? OOC, and a bit bloody in the end but not to bad. Rated T to be safe, no ships intended other then friendship but if you want T _raught_ ( _Robin x Artemis_ ) or _Spitfire(Kid Flash x Artemis)_ in the very end which ever way you want to take it.)

 _ **(**_ _ **A/N:**_ The song is: " _Daddy's Little Girl_ " by Frankie J. I don't own the song or Young Justice, I'm just a fan hoping to shed some light on a seldom touched topic. _ **)**_

 **** ** _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0~_**

Lawrence Crock, or better known as Sportsmaster, had been thinking things over on his way home. Guilt ripped at his heart and stomach, his legs felt heavy with each step he took, his mind clouded with confusion and ache. She was gone, she got caught. She wouldn't be coming home to her children tonight, she wouldn't be coming home tomorrow night either, nor any night from now on. At least not for a long time, and it was his fault. All his fault, a thought that kept replying in his mind. He was to tired to think of anything else, actually he wasn't necessarily thinking it but more of being haunted by it.

A simple fact, that he was not thinking it nor anything at all. No, the thought just hung there over his head keeping any other thoughts at bay. He would be angry if not in shock, and him being angry wasn't a good thing. Nope, people try very hard to stay on his happy side. His angry side could be the last side you see, but right in the moment of time he was to tired and to shocked to be angry or happy or anything else for that matter.

It wasn't that he couldn't feel anything, because of course he could, its just the guilt that kept the shock in tacked. If that confuses you, good. Because he himself was confused, he almost wanted to cry. But only weak people cry, or so he'd be told all his life. And let me tell you, it hasn't been a happy life. Perhaps that was kept him pushing on? He didn't know, and right now he didn't care. Because the only thing that mattered was that she was gone.

She hadn't wanted to go on this job, she tried to talk him out of it, but the price was the highest they had gotten offered in a while. They desperately needed the cash, they needed to put food on the table. So he told her to stay home, of course she didn't listen.

"Any job, we do together. Our family. You can't do it alone." She told him, she was angry with him but he couldn't help it. Bills had to be paid one way or another, he couldn't lose his children and home that way. They'd take everything away, passing up this job wasn't an option. Not for him.

"Honey please. Just stay here, with the children. I can handle one job, in and out. Bang. Done."

"No. In and out, we go together." He loved her, always so determined and suborn. He sees where his beloved daughters got it, and as much at it pissed him off he of course loved them.

He sighed in defeat, and after both their daughters had fallen asleep they left. On the job that would change everything forever, of course how could he have known? If he had, he wouldn't have let her come along. He would have forced her to stay, if he had to he would have even passed up the job. Sure, he got the object he needed, but at a price far to high. How would he explain to his children they would be mother-less for the next how-ever-many years? It took both of them to be a team, and it took both of them to be parents. He didn't know the first thing about single parenthood, he wasn't good at this kind of thing.

Paula had demanded he go without her, a few more seconds and he would have been caught also. He knew the police would take care of her medically, and with a last parting kiss and 'I love you' he broke away. Running on pure adrenaline rush, he leaped over roof tops then through the window outside of their small apartment upstairs hall way. Standing outside the front door, he knew it would never be the same. It could never be the same, and it was his fault. Guilt ate at him, and would continue to eat at him for the coming years.

He knew someday someone would want to hurt him, and what better way then to go after his crippled wife and two little girls? He decided right then and there that they would get a shock that his 'two little girls' would be able to kick their sorry asses to China and back, he would make sure of it. He would train them, he would help them.

 ** _... 1 Year later..._**

It was Artemis's 6th birthday, her father even took the day off work for her. Her sister was home instead of out with her friends like normal, their dad must have threatened her phone's life because Jade was willingly and nicely helping Artemis bake brownies. Jade was rarely nice, when she was nice it normally meant she was up to something. Nothing good for sure. Then there were the times their father had threatened to take her phone away or shut it off, which only happened on important days. It was enough to make the fake nicer side of Jade to make an appearance for a few hours, but today was different. Today it was Jade's idea to make brownies, complete with the aprons their mother had hand-made a long time ago.

A green frilly one with two different shades of green for Artemis it was slightly to big but Jade fixed it up with a few clips, and a dark mid-night blue one with frills on the edges for Jade. Even if Jade denied it, she had taken a liking to it since she used it almost every time she cooked or baked.

Their father was attempting to clean house, sweeping the carpets and whipping the dust down. Both young girls rolled their eyes at their father's lack of house work knowledge, sweeping the carpets? They would vacuum later, but its not like their carpets were in great condition anyways... Rent was cheep, that had to count for something right?

He grew up in an huge castle of a mention while house maids did the cleaning and five star chefs cooked, being young he never paid much attention to how or why things got done, so he pretty much knew nothing of living on his own much less taking care of children. Lawrence's children, thank god, had taken after their mother on that aspect.

But that was the past, and this was now. This was the day a 3 year old little girl gets another year older, the one day her and her sister get along like an unspoken agreement. Until tomorrow when things would surely go back to the same ways. Where her father will be gone first thing in the morning, her sister would have to go to school and wouldn't be back to later in the evening, and so Artemis would sit in her room or watch TV to pass the long hours till the end of the day. She wished for her school years to come faster, even at five years of age she knew what not to do. Such as leave the house, or play with knives. She also knew what she could do, which wasn't much. She spent most of her time sleeping, or watching SpongeBob SquearePants. She knew her sister had to leave for school, her father had work, and her mother was gone. She didn't understand completely why her mother was gone, just that she was gone.

Every morning her father always already had it set up, she always have a bowl of dry cereal by her bed and the TV would be on. Volume low enough it wouldn't wake her from slumber, she knew what the volume button did as well as the on and off one. Even for being so young, she was pretty smart.

Like but that wasn't the point, the point is Artemis was just another year come and go. Another day to go by, nothing special. Right? Wrong, it was special. Why? Because it was a day they could put away the past, the problems, the yelling, the fighting, the everything and just have a nice day to be happy. Until tomorrow morning when life would fall back into it's normal routines of running though the motions, and how she could so wait.

Only, that would be tomorrow and not today. So today was today, meaning it was a day to enjoy because it only comes around once a year until the years are gone and that was a thought Artemis didn't like. So she focused on the thought of today, right now, baking brownies with her older sister and watching her father sweep the carpets while mumbling curses under his breath.

Hours passed and after dinner and birthday brownies, it was present time. It was never a big thing, but it still was.

Her father handed a green box with a sliver ribbon. After unwrapping it careful to save the pretty ribbon, she found a folded archery bow inside and a shoulder arrow holder already stalked with arrows. Both where her favorite color, green. The card read simple: Happy Birthday Baby Girl, Daddy loves you.

Her eyes lit up like fireworks, she had watched him shoot before. A few times, when he took her out to watch him hunt. She loved the way his powerful arms silently pulled the quiver back and when letting go, the arrow silently flew through the air. Silent, deadly, powerful. Three things Artemis grew up being taught was good, she was taught that was how people survive. Kill or be killed, it bothered her knowing it was taking another life... But somehow her father's words made it seem right and okay, his voice made life a little easier to go through. It was calm and smooth, but sharp and stern. He was like a rock, her rock.

He took his anger out on her, but she knew he loved her. He held back so much anger, where else could it go? He never hurt her to bad, a slap if she pushed to far or yelling. She also learned that crying wouldn't help the matter at hand, but make it worse. She didn't mind being vented on, she was young but even at this age she knew things. Maybe to many things, like the fact that her father hurt people ever day and she still loved him. How couldn't she? He was her father, he was her rock.

"A bow? Its so pretty Daddy!"

"I've noticed your interest when I hunt, I'll teach you this weekend if your good. Okay?"

"Okay! I love you Daddy!"

She hugged him and he hugged back, it would seem like the perfect childhood kind of thing... Except for... Maybe the fact that some day those arrows would take lives away, being so young the thought never crossed Artemis's mind.

"Here you go Artemis" Jade said smiling as she slid a small package across the table into Artemis's lap, as she opened it she found a emerald Arrow head on a necklace. It caught the light just the perfect way, and the little girl cried. Tears of happiness, because she loves today... But there was a ping of sadness also, because someone was missing... Her mother was missing, just the the year before and just like the years to come...

She has her rock, she has her Daddy so she knows she'll be okay. She knows she's loved, and she loves him too. She loves her sister too, she loves the way her sister reads her a chapter of Alice in Wonderland every night before bed. So she knows she'll be okay, at least for a little longer.

 _ **... 2 Years later...**_

Artemis was now 8 years old, its been two months since her older sister Jade ran away. Her mom still in prison, it was about 2 in the morning and she was sitting in bed crying. She misses her big sister, she misses her mom, she needs him right now. Although he isn't here right now, he's been gone all day long before she left for school.

She hears the front door lock click and unlock as its pushed open, her heart sinks as she hears a crash following seconds after the door roughly closed. Bolting out of bed and into the small living room of their two roomed apartment, only to find her father in a bloody mess on the floor.

"Daddy!" She cries and drops her teddy bear as her small feet shackly make their way to his side, he was now sitting up pulling off his mask. A good-sized gash across his chest and a knife wound in his shoulder, he lets out a loud sigh as he tries to push himself off the floor.

She stands there only a few feet away, shacking because she doesn't know how badly he's hurt. Its looks bad. He doesn't noticed how shook up she is, and he doesn't notice her already red and puffy eyes.

"Wh-what are you doing up its late!" He asks through the pain, but hiding it with anger. Even though he knows he isn't truly angry with her, just angry. Maybe angry at himself for letting this happen to himself, but she is clueless to this logic. Her only logic at the moment was focusing on two things:

 _ **1:**_ Daddy was hurt. Possibly badly.

 ** _2:_** Daddy was angry. At her.

She found herself crying again, for so many reasons she doesn't know which one to begin with. Daddy was hurt, Daddy was mad, Mommy was gone, Jade was gone, she was being bullied at school, she knew her family was breaking, but most of all she just couldn't understand but she understands.

She found herself backing away from him, her arms wrapped around her sides. Tripping over the rug she had forgotten about she fell to the floor, bringing her knees up and hiding her face in them. Shacking visusly as sobs racked through her body.

The pain hits him, he yelled at his baby girl. The only one hes has left, he was never good with emotions. Being down right honest, he sucked at everything that didn't included fighting, killing, or stealing. He was never given the chance to be a real father, he had to make sure to keep his family alive. He needed to put food on the table, pay for medical, pay bills. Not only that, it wasn't like his father actually gave a damn about him while growing up. So he grew up knowing only the love of the maids, who came and went as his father would get upset and fire them after a week or two.

His father had anger issues, something his son had also picked up. His mom had been killed in a car accident after throwing herself in front of him, his father blamed him for her death. So of course his father would plant himself in his business, leaving his 10 year old son to grow up alone in the world. Creating a troubled childhood, since bullies in school seemed to like picking on the only boy in class without a mother. Kids can be crewl.

In his teen years, Lawrence had pissed off his father. A stupid move, because his father could spread lies like wild fire. He never counted on the fact that his father could ruin his name in the snap of the fingers, no one would hire a man with history like his. A history that was give to him by his father, lies. Lawrence had never done the things he was accused of, but why would anyone trust him over a wealthy charity man? So to make a living he turned to the only job where your history means nothing, if anything ' _history_ ' helps.

Only, his ' _history_ ' wasn't helping him at this moment in time. Not while his youngest child sat crying in the middle of the floor, while he was caked with blood and in pain.

"I'm sorry baby girl, come here." He said, causing her to look up. He held out his arms and she didn't think twice about crawling into them, this was what she needed. She needed her Daddy.

She needed her rock.

They sat there for a few moments, as he slowly rocked her in his arms. Calming her sods and shacked as he whispered softly over and over how he loved her and he was sorry for yelling.

"It's okay Daddy," is all she would whisper back.

After he had gotten her to stop crying it was already almost 3, "Come on baby girl lets get cleaned up." he told her as they got up, he then made his way to the shower.

Climbing into the shower then peeling off his bloody clothes as she sat on the couch in the living room, he sighed. Thinking all the ways he could make things better, but none of them seemed to be real enough to work. He was in to deep already, there was no walking away. Since Paula had gotten herself seriously hurt and captured, he had to pick up the slack and work twice as hard. He warned her it was a dangerous line of work back when she first started joining him, but she was suborn. A trait both their daughters had inherited, and he loved them all.

He still felt guilty, guilty for many things. His wife's disability, his wife being in prison, her eldest daughter running away because of his harsh training. Though hes only trying to protect them, they need to be able to hold their own. Its not like he hasn't tried to find her, but he can't just go running after her with his youngest at home. No, Jade was capable of handling her own. Artemis was still learning, not saying Artemis couldn't handle her own its just she was younger... And she was his baby girl, he loved her so much, but he distanced himself from her as much as he could. She could get hurt if he allowed himself to get to close, and he'd never forgive himself if he was the cause for her death.

After a well needed shower, he found Artemis in fresh clothes waiting for him. He thought she had gone to bed, more like he had hoped. An 8 year old wasn't something he wanted to deal with at the moment, but it couldn't be helped. Her small gray eyes pooled with emotions of guilt and sorrow, he couldn't help but feel terrible. He knew she probably blamed herself, she was after all only a little one.

"Why didn't you go to bed?" He asked, sounding a little gruffer then he intended.

"I wanted to make you dinner..." She told as she pointed to a box of mac and cheese then to a boiling pot of water on the stove top, he smiled.

"That's sweet of you baby girl, come here." He walked over and pulled her up into his arms, then set her up on the counter top. "So, tell Daddy about your day Sweety."

She went on about her class had gotten pet frogs, which she thought was absolutely disgusting as she told him and he had a hard time not laughing, as he finished cooking their late night dinner/early early breakfast. After eating, he tucked her into bed reading a few chapters of Alice in wonderland.

 _ **... 4 Years later...**_

Artemis was older now, things have started to take their toll on her. She might be young, but she's wise far beyond her years.

Paula Crock was home, but her Daddy wasn't. No, he was off on another job. To say her mom was happy would be more then a bold-faced lie, she wasn't the least bit thrilled to learn of her husband's choice to continue with the jobs that had put an end to her ability to walk. She still loved him, but she also hated him for leaving her. She knew it couldn't have been helped, she knew her children needed a parent. She knew someone needed to still be there, or they would be taken away. To be out in a home where who-knows-what kind of people could get their hands on them, the thought is was kept her sane while being locked away for so long.

But now she was home, and she was happy to see her beautiful little girl Artemis. After learning Jade had run off because of her husband's harsh training she was pissed, to say it nicely. Although she was still happy Artemis was alive and well, her youngest daughter was 12 years old now. Unhappy with the fact her husband had forced such harsh training on her daughters, unhappy with a number of things...

It was around mid-night when her father finally came home, tired and stressed. Over the years he had improved. He couldn't keep coming home a mess like he normally did, not in front of Artemis. So if he did come home hurt, he hide it to well, he hide it with anger.

She still loves him of course, she understands... But her mother doesn't quite have the same forgiving understanding as her youngest daughter.

"Lawrence! Why the hell do you continue?! Do you not see the danger you put the children in?! What if something happened to you?! Idiot, then who would be left to care for them? All this time I was away and you were hardly here! How could you not care for them! Jade is gone because of you! You've broken this family apart!"

Her mother's words cut him deeply, but they cut their daughter deeper. They didn't realize she was still awake, they didn't realize she had never gone to bed. Artemis stood with her bedroom door cracked just enough to see what was going on, tears streaming down her olive skin dropping from her chin to the floor. All she had ever wanted was to keep her family together, she knew her Mommy would come home someday. She vowed to herself she would someday find Jade and bring her home again, but this... This was her family not breaking, but shattering right in front of her.

"Fine, what do you want me to say?! I'm sorry Paula! What was I suppose to do?! Sit around and wait?! There was, is, bills to be paid! Its not like I could find work, you know what he did! I had to. Can't you see, I wanted to walk away so bad, but how could I? They'll find me, and they'll take everything I love. They'll take you guys, my family, my home."

"No. Not your family anymore, not your home anymore." Her voice was low and deadly calm, something that meant only one thing. Artemis prayed it wasn't true.

Artemis's eyes widened, as her mother's words bounced around in her mind... No... No... Daddy...

She saw her father's fists clinch then unclinch, pushing off the couch and into their room. Artemis figured the argument was over, figured he gave up and was going her mother time to cool off. So she relaxed, maybe it wasn't over... Until he came out with a baseball cap on and a suitcase in his hands.

"I'm sorry Paula, I am, but I can't live like this and I won't force you guys too. Goodbye."

She looked down to her lap as tears steamed down her face, "goodbye."

Artemis's heart sank as she threw the door open running and screaming 'no', it caused both her parents to jump and look at her as she ran to her father. Hot tears streaming down her own face, as she running into her father's open arms.

 ** _He drops his suitcase by the door_**

 ** _She knows her daddy won't be back anymore_**

 ** _She drags her feet across the floor_**

 ** _Tryna hold back time to keep him holding on_**

 ** _She says_**

 ** _Daddy, Daddy, don't leave_**

 ** _I'll do anything to keep you_**

 ** _Right here with me_**

 ** _Can't you see how much I need you_**

 ** _Daddy, Daddy, don't leave_**

 ** _Mommy's saying things she don't mean_**

 ** _She don't know what she's talkin' about_**

 ** _Somebody hear me out_**

She cries in his arms and he sees the look of pity in her mother's eyes, but he can't stay. He loves his baby girl, but she's safer with her mama. So he'll stay for a little, he'll stay till she can hold the bow straight. He'll help her perfect her aim, but at some point he knows he has to go.

So he holds her till her tears are all gone. He holds her, not her mother. No, her mother left because she can't handle the scene that plays out in front of her.

She leaves because she too knows he has to go, and she sees how much its hurting her daughter. And she sees how much she looks like her father... His eyes, his hair, her love of adrenaline, her smile, her love of archery. It hurts Paula, seeing how much she worships her father and it hurts her more to see how much more he deeply worships his daughter... Their daughter. So she couldn't stay, she goes and cries to herself in the room they once shared. She cries because she knows she still loves him, she knows how hard it is for him, she also knows he doesn't have a choice. So she cries to herself, knowing husband is holding their youngest daughter as she cries herself to sleep.

She knows he stays because of her, but she also knows he can't stay for long. So the weeks pass by like a feather in the wind, and she knows she's like that feather. She knows her older daughter is somewhere out there, always in danger, but she also knows her husband's harsh training would leave Jade far from helpless. No, Jade was an assassin. Just like her mother, just like her father. Not a life to be proud of, but it was how they had to live.

No, they don't ' _live_ ' but more ' _survive_ ' from day to day.

Artemis every night and every morning, even at school, she prays for her father to still be there. She still needs him, hes her Daddy, hes her rock.

 ** _Father listen_**

 ** _Tell him that he's got a home and he don't have to go_**

 ** _Father save him_**

 ** _I would do anything in return_**

 ** _I'll clean my room_**

 ** _Try hard in school_**

 ** _I'll be good_**

 ** _I promise you_**

 ** _Father, Father_**

 ** _I pray to you_**

The Lord seems to answer her prayers, but even she knows it won't last forever. She knows one day he'll be gone, he'll never come back, but she prays. Hoping, just hoping, to buy just a bit more time. Because maybe, she can go with him... Because she'll be older, she'll be stronger... Because she loves him... Why does she love him? Because hes her father, because hes her rock.

But the thought always tugs at the back of her mind, he'll leave... He'll never come back...

Weeks go by and every weekend he takes her to shoot, the last few weeks he started taking her hunting. Her aim was spot on, and hes so proud of her and this is a gift of skills. He tells her this, he also tells her he loves her. He tells her she has to be strong and use this gift, to help her mother because Daddy has work. She understands, but it doesn't mean she doesn't hurt. She knows hes going to leave soon, she knows it's going to hurt.

Then the night comes, he kisses her forehead as she sleeps. He loves her, but he has to go. So he slips into the night, leaving behind his 12 year old daughter and crippled wife... But it can't be helped, its for their own safety. He loves them, all three of them. He can only cling to the deeply hidden hope that someday they will be a family again, but the hope seems pointless.

 _ **... 5 Years later...**_

A 17 year old Artemis is hanging around with the rest of the teen hero team waiting a mission given to them by the Batman himself, five years ago she would have never thought she would be on a team of young heroes fighting crime. She was born into a family of criminals, she should have been one of them. She's had to fight her own family, her father and sister.

Not that she has given it her all, no, a few times she 'slipped'. In the beginning she hide her family heritage from her team, out of fear they would reject her. She couldn't handle being rejected by them too, after having so many problems in school and family problems on top. Self-concise problems kept her locked away.

After her team found out about it they showed it didn't matter, later that night she cried. They didn't reject her, they cared.

It was a summer night, nothing to do so everyone just hung around hoping Batman would find them a mission. Conner, or better known as Superboy, had been dating Megan for a few weeks now and Wally had moved on to hitting on Artemis every once in a while. The same was for tonight, completely normal and uneventful. Until they heard the zeta tube come on, only no voice followed to announce who the new comer was. So of course everyone get up to see who it could be and why the computer wasn't working.

Who it was, shocked everyone. Worse of all Artemis, as she saw the bloody form of someone she hadn't seen in a while. It all caused her heart to sink, she even let out a soft gasp.

Sportsmaster stood in the middle of the cave, caked in blood. Blood everywhere, it looked as if he was having trouble in his movements. It was only then that Artemis realized this time, it was his own blood that caked him this time. She could see gashes all over his arms, chest, stomach, and legs. His breathing was fast and shallow, he reached up and pulled his mask off with shaky movements only to show the young teen heroes that he meant no harm.

How could he mean harm in this kind of condition?

"D-dad..." Her voice was cracking as tears streamed down her face, more tears caused by him. "W-why are y-you here...?"

It hurts him, she hardly ever calls 'Dad'. Its always been 'Daddy', but he pushes the thought away. His job went wrong, things took a turn for the worse. Just a slip, and look where it got him? But its okay, she's safe now... She has friends now, and she's strong... She doesn't need her rock anymore, she doesn't need a daddy.

"Sorry... Baby girl... I messed up this time..." So much pain to speak, so much pain to breathe.

"Dad!" Tears running off her fragile face, and he felt it all slipping but he kept pushing.

"I love you, your always my Baby girl."

"Daddy! No... Please don't..."

Robin calls Red Tornado to prep the med room, but even he knows it doesn't look good. Once they get her dad to the med wing they push the teens out, Artemis was distraught. And her team don't quite understand why, he is after all a criminal who made her childhood a living hell.

But he's still her father, he's still her family. He's still her rock.

 ** _Now she hasn't slept in weeks_**

 ** _She don't want to close her eyes cause she's scared that he'll leave_**

 ** _they tried just about everything_**

 ** _It's getting harder now_**

 ** _For him to breath_**

 ** _And she says_**

 ** _Daddy, Daddy, don't leave_**

 ** _The Doctors are saying things they don't mean_**

 ** _They don't know what they're talkin' about_**

 ** _Somebody hear me out_**

She prays, harder then she's ever done before. She still needs her rock... She'll always need her Daddy... So she cries, and prays. Her team has come and gone as if each person takes a shift to watch over the young teen poking food at her even though she can't stomach even the thought of food, she wont leave the hospital hall and she wont sleep. Not until she knows he'll be okay. He has to be okay...

 ** _Father (father) listen (listen)_**

 ** _Tell him that he's got a home and he don't have to go (don't have to go)_**

 ** _Father (father) save him_**

 ** _I would do anything in return_**

 ** _I'll clean my room_**

 ** _Try hard in school_**

 ** _I'll be good_**

 ** _I promise you_**

 ** _Father, Father_**

 ** _I pray to you_**

"Most of his ribs are crushed, putting a lot of pressure on his lungs. He's lost a large amount of blood also from the 11 large gashes all over his body, he's stable but we can't promise he'll make it through the night..." Black Canary informed her, the team behind her but she didn't care.

"Can... Can I see him?" Her voice is steady but quite, Canary only nods. She can't imagine how hard this must be on the young hero, So Artemis goes in. Wally and Megan follow a few moments later, but everyone else stays outside. She needs the support of her closest friends.

She's sitting at his side, crying while holding his hand. He had tubes and wires every where they are possibly the only thing left connecting him to this world, but they could see the emotions swimming in his gray eyes. Guilt, pity, sorrow, love.

He wanted to say something, anything. He hated it when she cried, be strong. Only the weak cry, but he knows this isn't the same case. He knows she'll cry, its human. As much as he hated to see her cry, he'd much rather her cry then keep it locked up. Because emotions have the power to kill, hes seen this first hand. He knows, its just hard. He loves his baby girl.

Soon Jade and Paula show up, there's a bit of yelling in the hall before a crying Paula and a pissy Jade walk in accompanied by the Boy Wonder who kept silent.

"Mom... Jade..." Her voice is scratchy from crying and the lack of use, but she forces her voice to come.

"Artemis, what happened?" Paula asks, her eyes never leaving her "husband's" bandaged and bruised body. They never got a divorce, but they also never had any contact over the past years. She gets the phone call, and there's not much she can do. Even though she can assume what happened, she still asks. Maybe because its the only thing she can do, the shock of after all these years it finally happened.

"He was on a job..." Artemis forced out, her eyes never leaving her father's still face. He was asleep, the painkillers must have done magic because his face showed no sign of pain.

"Figures," Jade snorted out and Artemis almost jumped on her.

"Shut it Jade, why are you even here?!" She was fighting to keep her voice down, she was also now standing ready if a fight was to began. Artemis wasn't the only one, Dick was also at the ready along with Wally, and the crying Megan placed a hand on the angry blonde's shoulder.

"What, just because your the favored one you get to decide who gets to be here? Daddy's girl, you've always been one." Jade said calmly, to calmly. It cut the young blonde to the bone, Jade never changed. Her father was half dead, and this is when she decides to pick a fight?

"You never understood what he did for us did you?" Artemis stated, not really to Jade more like talking to herself just loud enough for everyone to hear. By now Sportsmaster had woken by the voices of those he loved, the voices that had so much pain in them. Of course it would wake him, something was hurting his baby girl. Only it was him that was doing so, it hurt for him to move as he sat up it went unnoticed by everyone in the room. (Well Dick noticed, nothing gets past the Boy Wonder.)

"What-" Jade started only to be cut off by Artemis.

"He through away everything for us, if he hadn't we wouldn't be who were are now. Sure training was hard, but was it not worth it? Your out living, doing everything you ever dreamed of. I'm on a Justice League team for gods sake, mom's medical bills got paid. Your schooling, my schooling, it was always him!" Her voice was shacking and so was she, tears wouldn't stop falling and she continued. "You left, because you couldn't handle it. Mom was gone, you were gone. Someone had to stay, someone had to be there for him! Who was it?! Me! It was me who stayed. Why couldn't you, Jade?"

"Because I wanted a life. Little sister, your the one who never understood. He did it out of selfishness, he only did it because he had to. I hated him for it, I still do."

"Your the one who's selfish Jade, leave. If you feel that way! If you hate him, then you have no place here."

"Fine, its not like I wanted to be here. I could think of a million different places to be, I only came for mom." She scuffed before shooting their mother a look of 'I was here now, happy? Now goodbye' before leaving.

"I give up!" Paula shouted as she brought a fist down on her wheelchair, more tears forming in her eyes threatening to start spilling over again.

"Sorry mom, its just she... I..." Artemis suddenly felt guilty of running her older sister off, but it was true. If Jade hated her father so much that she would even say so while he was in his possible last hours, then she had no place to be here with him in his final hours. It was disgusting, it made Artemis feel sick in the pit of her stomach.

"I tried to keep this from happening, I tried to keep everything together but..." She finished with a frustrated sigh.

"Paula, its okay..." Everyone turned to see that Lawrence had woken, his eyes showing to many emotions to count.

"Dad! Don't move to much, it'll start bleeding again..."

"I'm fine baby girl." As he winches and coughed, Artemis is mentally begging the Lord for more time. Because he'll never know how much she loves him, how much she needs him.

"Lawrence, I'm sorry for those years ago... I never stopped loving you, I just love you... I pushed you away from everything you love... I'm sorry, If I could take time back... I'd change everything, if I hadn't have taken so long that night we could have gotten out faster..."

"No, Paula... It was my fault... I-if I would have listened to you about that job you w-wouldn't have gotten hurt and taken. I... I'm so sorry." He coughed again and his breath came is wheezes, Artemis just wanted him to stop. Because every time he spoke it took away to the breath he need to breath, he has to live... She needs her rock, her Daddy.

Once again he was leaving her, he was going to leave and never come back. Her heart twisted in pain, she was trying to be strong but really? Her father was about to die... She's never felt more helpless before. Megan is in the corner silently crying while the kid speedster tried to comfort her, Robin stood there silently watching the scene before him unfold in a mess of tears and pain. He was powerless against the pain his friends felt. After a few more moments Canary came in and drug Megan out, but Robin in Kid Flash stayed. Artemis was Robin's best friend, aside from Kid Flash himself, and Wally would never admit it but his feelings can't help but grow stronger for the blonde archer.

So she sits on one side of him with her mother on the other side, both of them are crying.

"Artemis... Baby girl... I'm so... S-sorry for everything... I put you through... But your such a beautiful baby girl... I love you... I've always loved you... I always... Will... I'm so... Proud... Your a my baby g-girl..."

"Daddy, I love you too so much... I'm sorry, I love you don't leave me... Don't go... Your my Daddy and I need you... Please don't go..." She begs softly, deep down knowing the pleas will be wasted in the end and yet she still begs. Trying to take in every second because she knows it'll be his last, her last to be with him. Her rock is crumbling, her Daddy is falling.

"I love you... Paula... Love you... baby girl..." And he was gone, he took his last breath with a smile. His family was here, minus Jade but he knew deep down she would forgive him someday, when she realized he did everything he did for them. Artemis and Paula cried by his side, Robin's hand found his way to Artemis's shoulder as it rubbed softly in circles to comfort her as she let everything go. He knew how it felt to lose a parent, he knew how it felt to feel helpless... Right in front of you, but his family was a happy one. His childhood never held the mental damage her had, not that it didn't have emotional and mental damage... It was just different, none the less he still felt like he could half-way relate. Unlike most of the rest of the team.

KF had his family still, Supey never had parents to be attached to, Megan had he uncle, Zee's happy with her father, and Kal never really said much other then Manta being his evil step-father. Crazy. The Boy Wonder felt that out of the whole team he could relate the most to his fellow team mate, so he comforted her while she cried.

She felt so lost, her rock was gone. She screamed in her head, begging the Lord to bring him back how she would do anything. He loved her and she knew this, he had to go and she also knew this. She understood, but she wished she didn't... She wished she could believe he would be waking up again if she cried hard enough, if she prayed hard enough. She knew, that he would never again call her Baby girl. So she cried, harder then she's ever done before. She understands, but understanding doesn't lessen the pain that eats at the heart.

 ** _Please don't let him go (don't let him go)_**

 ** _I'm begging you so (I'm begging you so)_**

 ** _There open his eyes_**

 ** _Need a little more time_**

 ** _To tell him that I love him more_**

 ** _Than anything in the world_**

 ** _Is Daddy's little girl_**

She prays, but he isn't coming back. She cries begging him to wake up, she refuses to leave his side or let go of his hand. Robin tells everyone to give her some time, but even her mother has left the room. The pain in the older lady's eyes, she loved him of course. She was still his wife, they never got an official divorce. All the lost time, the lost time they'll never get back because that was the past and this is now.

She had her own guilt to attend to, how she ripped the man from his family that night. How if she would have been just a little bit faster, she could have gotten out unscathed. If she hadn't gotten hurt then everything would be different, but the past is the past.

And this is now.

 ** _Father (father) listen (listen)_**

 ** _He's got a home and he don't have to go (don't have to go)_**

 ** _Father (father) save him_**

 ** _I would do anything in return_**

 ** _I'll clean my room_**

 ** _Try hard in school_**

 ** _I'll be good_**

 ** _I promise you_**

 ** _Father, Father_**

He's gone, and she knows this. She understands, but understanding can't numb the pain that pulls at her heart. She knows she'll be okay because she knows she has other rocks, Robin is now maskless sitting by her side as he had pulled her into a hug. Her sobs never stopped, but she was running out of tears. She was losing herself, but Robin was her rock. He was her rock, not Robin... And some how she'll be okay, she knows this. Wally was there too, maskless also as he sat there. To much pity to be jealous, but none the less he was a rock. He was there. Though they are not rocks, they are pebbles. Because only her Daddy could be a rock, although they're still here and they are her rocks she just can't clear her mind and she feels its the end. She feels she'll be lost, even though she knows and she understands.

She knows her heart with mend slowly, but the pain will be there till the last breath she takes. Its something that she will never be able to get out of her mind, never be able to get the pain out of her heart. Until someone else helps, maybe it'll be her team to help her heal or maybe her mother. Just some how she'll heal, just not today and probably not tomorrow. Probably not anytime soon, but maybe in a few years?

She knows she'll always be Daddy's Baby girl.

 ** _She was Daddy's Little Girl_**

 ** _Mmmmm Oh_**

 _ **(**_ _ **A/N:**_ Okay, that was emotionally draining for me to write. It took all day, but I really felt the need to write it. It actually made me feel better. The reason why I felt really obligated to write this is because a little over year ago I lost my dad, any I know so many other have too. I found the song on YouTube and I cried so bad, really if you haven't already looked it up you should.

The song is: " _Daddy's Little Girl_ " by Frankie J. I don't own the song or Young Justice, I'm just a fan hoping to shed some light on a seldom touched topic.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed my story, sorry for any grammar mistakes I just kinda threw it together and hoped for the best. I didn't go and spell check or anything, so I mean if its there sorry.

If you depressed because something happened to your dad, or anyone in your family, please get talk to someone. Because emotions hurt when you keep them locked up, if no one else talk to me. I'd love to help, I've been though some shit too. I'm not saying I know how everything, because everyone feels sadness, but they feel it in their own way. Please seek help, I promise you'll feel better.

My dad passed a while ago, and it still hurts. 2013, a date I'll never forget. So I guess writing this has helped me deal a little bit with the emotions, I hoped you liked it even though it was a little longer then I thought it was going to be. _ **)**_


End file.
